Stranded
by Nyakai
Summary: Preepisode 1. A wealthy ship is attacked by Darth Maul and both crash land on Endor. Maul carries out his assassination mission, but spares a Twi'lek from the victim's group. ...Discontinued.
1. The Attack

Disclaimer: I don't own Darth Maul or anything else in the Star Wars universe, but I own Midori, Zell, all the guards, and the cranky pilot.   
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**Chapter 1**  
  
        Millions of stars reflected off the sleek _Orin 1_, bathing it in a soft glow. It was on its return journey to Coruscant after visiting the construction of Bespin's newest satellite, Cloud City. Zell Orin, one of the richest Corellians in the galaxy, gave most of the funding for the construction and therefore believed he owned it. He visited Bespin frequently to see how 'his' station was coming along.   
  
        "Midori!" Zell called over his shoulder. He was sitting in a comfortable chair, his arms along the wide edge and an ankle resting on one knee. He didn't feel like getting up to look for the girl himself.   
  
        "Midori!" shouted the Corellian impatiently. After a few moments, a green-skinned Twi'lek came bouncing in.   
  
        "Yes?" Zell motioned for her to stand behind the chair. When she had taken her place, he accepted the comlink communication from Coruscant. It was one of Senator Orn Free Taa's attendants.  
  
        "Sorry to have kept you waiting," Zell said with rehearsed regret. The small, holographic figure nodded forgivingly.   
  
        "That's quite all right, Orin. We were just wondering when you were returning. After all, you are hosting five senators in two days," the attendant reminded.  
  
        "I will be home sometime tomorrow at the latest. Yes, I left rather abruptly, but I heard there were some problems with Cloud City. I am on my way home right now, though," replied Zell, giving an exaggerated smile.   
  
        "Of course. Senator Taa is looking forward to this banquet. He thought you had called it off when you were gone and none of your attendants knew where you had gone to.  
  
        "No, I still intend to host the meeting. I look forward to seeing Senator Taa again." After their farewells, the link was turned off and Zell dismissed the Twi'lek.  
  
        "That will be all unless someone important calls." Midori bowed her head and left the room. She knew the only reason he brought her was to stand somewhere in the background and look pretty. She was just a badge of prestige to show how wealthy and important Zell is. Of course her master looked even wealthier when he had all five Twi'lek girls around him, but for this spur-of-the-moment trip, he only brought Midori. That certainly boosted her ego. The green-skinned girl didn't mind being seen as a trophy. As long as Zell was famous, she'd be famous as well, not to mention living very luxuriously.   
  
        And Zell was indeed very famous. He had most of his friends because he was rich and a few more because of his opinions. Being friends with numerous senators, the human was well caught up in political events. He was very opinionated and would speak up in every debate he came across, even if he wasn't familiar with the subject. Zell, being so wealthy, was very influential, and for that he gained many enemies. The man had his own legion of bodyguards, thinking they could protect him from the various groups who hated him. Even on this sudden trip he had brought ten guards.  
  
        Not far behind the _Orin 1_, a cloaked ship followed. It seemed like a large fold in space, distorting stars as it silently passed. It had locked onto the luxury ship and was patiently waiting for the most opportune moment.  
  
        Midori entered her large room. It wasn't as grand as her room back on Coruscant, but each time she had been on the ship, she had brought something to decorate it. The only thing she could do besides decorate was cook, but since she was never offered those jobs, everyone thought she was another air-headed girl only interest in fashion. Of course, Midori did love clothes. Her four floor-to-ceiling closets in her room on Coruscant were evident of this.   
  
        The Twi'lek was busy rearranging the furniture in her room when Zell's voice came over the ship's comlink.  
  
        "Dori, look expensive. I need to call Senator Palpatine. Be here in ten minutes." Ten minutes? Was he crazy? She'd need that long just to pick out a new headpiece.   
  
        In twenty minutes, Midori returned to the communications room. An ornate silver headpiece dotted with tiny jewels adorned her head. Her deep red, one-strap shirt brought out her vivid red eyes. She wore a skirt that slanted from the top of one knee to the bottom of the other. Her tall boots almost reached her knees and the large soles added to her height.   
  
        The guards stopped and stared as she passed, but Zell didn't seem to care of her beauty. He was already talking to someone when she walked in.   
  
        "I _told_ you, when the price is so low- buy, buy, BUY!" The man disconnected the communication with an aggravated growl. He didn't notice that Midori was late. He motioned for the Twi'lek to again stand behind the chair as he contacted Senator Palpatine. An annoying beeping sound replied. Zell repeated the action, but again it didn't connect.   
  
        "It won't go through," he said, mostly to himself. His temper was slowly rising as people could tell by his tone.  
  
        "Dalk, get in here and fix this-" Zell's order was interrupted by a severe jerk to the ship.   
  
        "Something just hit us, Orin," reported the pilot over the comlink.   
  
        "What did?" the human demanded.  
  
        "I... I'm really not sure," said the pilot. Quickly Zell jumped up and ran out of the room, followed closely by Midori. He stalked into the cockpit and began shouting orders.  
  
        "Shields up. What do you mean you're not sure?" Suddenly the ship rocked again.  
  
        "The attacker must be cloaked- we can't detect anything," the pilot replied.   
  
        "Then start shooting randomly!"   
  
        Midori shrunk into the corner of the small room. She had never been in anything under attack before. For once in her life she was terrified. The Twi'lek did not want to be blown into millions of particles and scattered over the vast reaches of space. There were still things to do, places to see, clothes to buy. She couldn't die now! Her panicked mind was suddenly brought back to reality as another violent jerk crashed over the ship.   
  
        "Shields are down and the right wing is maimed," reported the pilot.   
  
        "What do you mean? How badly?" Zell frantically demanded.   
  
        "Most of it's still there, but another hit and it'll be gone."   
  
        Midori slid along the wall to the floor, covering her head with her hands and her lekku. She was vaguely aware of the pilot talking about a planet, but her head was pounding with frightened thoughts and she couldn't concentrate. The only thing the Twi'lek knew was the shuddering every time the _Orin 1_ was hit.   
  
        "Are we returning fire?" Zell cried.  
  
        "Yes," the pilot shot back, becoming frustrated under the stress.   
  
        "Is it hitting the other ship?  
  
        "How should I know?! It's _cloaked_!"   
  
        "Will we make it back to Coruscant?"   
  
        "If we get replacement parts and this loon off our tail in the next few minutes, maybe," shrugged the pilot.   
  
        "Then we'll need to make that emergency landing," Zell said.  
  
        "Endor's the closest thing.  
  
        "Land, then." Orin slowly rubbed his hands up his forehead and through his hair, venting a stressful sigh. For the first time he noticed the Twi'lek in the room.   
  
        "Go on, Dori, get out of here," he said, helping her to her feet and leading her out of the cockpit.   
  
        Midori was thrown against the walls several times as she made her way down the corridor. When she reached a room where she could sit and buckle in, the pilot's voice echoed throughout the ship,  
  
        "We're landing. Hang on to something- it's gonna be bumpy." The ship rocked viciously as it descended, forcing the girl to the floor. She had not yet fastened in and was now being thrown around the room.  
  
        Soon the pilot announced they had landed.  
  
        "Uh oh," his voice came over the comlink. "Another ship's landing not too far away." At that Midori heard Orin calling for his guards.   
  
        A few minutes later, Zell, the pilot and the ten guards, all armed with blasters, cautiously crept down the boarding ramp, watched by the Twi'lek. They slowly made their way toward the enemy ship. The ground was soft and a little muddy, giving in where they stepped. To Midori, the air was dry and it smelled different- if not better- than the air on Coruscant. The _Orin 1_ had landed in a small clearing surrounded by broad, towering trees. There were countless places to hide and sneak up on an enemy, the Twi'lek noted with satisfaction, but also countless places for the enemy to hide. The girl's smile dropped at the latter thought.   
  
        The group deliberately made their way toward the edge of the clearing. Suddenly something caught the Twi'lek's eye and she started searching the forest line. Something was moving behind the trees. It blended in well with the shadows and was steadily making its way closer to the group. Midori didn't know if it was an inhabitant or someone from the attacking ship, but she decided to warn the men anyway. Pointing, she screamed,  
  
        "Over there, in the trees! It's-" Before she could even finish her sentence, something covered in black jumped into the clearing, wielding a red lightsaber. The ten guards immediately hid Zell from view and fired at the enemy. The cloaked man easily blocked the shots with his weapon, sending them back to the body guards. Seeing all ten fall to the ground, Midori ran from her spot on the ship over to her master.   
  
        "Who are you?!" demanded Zell.   
  
        "A Sith," he replied shortly, attacking the pilot. The Twi'lek grabbed a weapon and stood in front of Orin. Once the pilot fell, the enemy turned back to Zell. Two vibrant yellow eyes glared at the humanoids from under the dark hood.  
  
        "Out of my way, woman," hissed the figure.   
  
        "No!" Midori shouted, aiming the blaster. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the Twi'lek hurtling into a nearby tree. She dropped to the ground in a crumpled heap. Seeing Zell was distracted, the enemy took this moment to attack the man. One slash of his lightsaber and Orin fell.   
  
        The Sith dropped his hood revealing a head dotted with small horns and covered in an intricate design of red and black tattoos. He smiled grimly as he surveyed the stained clearing. It had all been too easy. But he didn't mind easy missions.   
  
        The challenging part would be returning home. Numerous random shots had hit his ship and his quick landing wasn't the best. Besides that, he had landed next to a swamp and the ground was slowly claiming the ship. But he could fix that. He could fix anything. He was a Sith.   
  
        He hung his lightsaber handle on his belt and turned to find his way back to his ship when he heard a soft noise. His head snapped back and he saw the Twi'lek move slightly. He had forgotten about her. He had just assumed she was dead. The Sith grabbed his weapon again as he neared the alien. He stopped next to her and was about to ignite his weapon when a new idea entered his mind. He thoughtfully stared ahead for a moment, involuntarily returning the lightsaber to his belt. A hint of his devilish smile played on the corners of his lips and he turned to head back to his ship. He wouldn't kill the Twi'lek just yet. He had a plan for her.  
  
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Okay, that was chapter 1. Tell me what you think, please. 


	2. Meeting A Sith

Disclaimer: Now seriously, if I really owned Maul or anything else of Star Wars, why would I waste my time writing fanfics? But I do own Midori. So hands off. =p   
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**Chapter 2**  
  
        Midori gave a miserable groan as she came to. Her whole back was sore and it painfully reminded her of this fact as she slowly staggered to her feet. It killed her back to stand up straight, but her stomach felt worse after one look around the clearing. The attacker was nowhere to be found.  
        _Good_, she thought, _he's left me alone_. Suddenly a wave of concern crossed her face. _He's left me alone_. Midori felt sickeningly insecure as she eyed the edge of the shadowed forest. Strange sounds came from somewhere beyond the clearing- sounds she never heard on Coruscant. The Twi'lek screamed when a tiny animal jumped out from the forest, scampered across the clearing and disappeared into the underbrush on the opposite side. There certainly wasn't anything like _that_ on Coruscant.   
  
        Midori was suddenly aware of noises coming from inside the _Orin 1_. Her master, the pilot and all the guards lay dead on the now-stained ground. So who-or what- was rummaging around inside the ship? She felt like running away into the forest when an idea came to mind: All her favorite clothes were on the ship. She had to keep them out of the hands of any thief.  
  
        Midori silently made her way over to the boarding ramp, carefully avoiding the bodies. The green skinned Twi'lek grew increasingly aware of the horrible stench emanating from the humans. They didn't smell too good when they were alive, but this was just plain ridiculous. She covered her nose with a lek as she reached the _Orin 1_, cautiously looking all around for the enemy. Midori stole into the ship, following the banging noises. Just as she was about to peer into one room halfway down the corridor, something came out. The humanoid carried a large mechanical device that blocked his upper body from view. Midori was too startled to run away, and she couldn't have run anyway once she got a look at his face.   
  
        He had stopped once he exited the room to look at her; he had already sensed her presence. His face was frightening enough, but his glare-set eyes were completely terrifying. Suddenly she realized this was the attacker. He was bent backwards as he carried the considerable object, although otherwise he didn't give the impression that it was heavy. After a few moments, Midori finally found her voice.  
  
        "Who... who are you?" The Sith passed her, replying,  
  
        "That is none of your concern." She turned and followed him, thinking she wasn't in too much danger of him with his arms occupied. Besides, if he wanted to kill her he could've already done so when she was unconscious. Being with an assassin was better than being alone- especially on this strange planet.   
  
        "You murdered my master. That _makes_ it my concern!" Midori stated.   
  
        _Murdered him quickly and efficiently_, he reflected with half a smile. The Twi'lek didn't fancy being ignored, so she repeated the question with extra emphasis.  
  
        "_Who_ are _you_?" An exasperated sigh escaped his lips before muttering,  
  
        "Darth Maul."   
  
        "I'm Midori. Why did you kill my master?  
  
        "Why didn't anyone else?" he returned quickly, stepping over a guard. Even though he could barely see in front of him, Maul evaded the scattered bodies with ease.   
  
        "Because he was nice and kind and rich and...." her voice trailed off when she realized the Sith was ignoring her again. Midori had to speed up almost to a jog to keep up with his quickened pace.   
  
        "Why keep me alive, then?"   
  
        "You would rather die?"   
  
        "No, no!" the Twi'lek exclaimed immediately. "I'm just curious."   
  
        "Far too much for you own good," he mumbled.  
  
        "_You're_ not going to be my new master, are you?  
  
        "No."   
  
        "Then why did you spare me?"   
  
        "If you're going to be this annoying, I may just kill you when I get back to my ship," growled Maul, sidestepping a tree at the last second. The green skinned girl hadn't even noticed they had entered the woods. Looking back, she could barely make out the clearing, although she could faintly detect the smell. If it had already carried this far or it just clung to her clothes, she couldn't tell- nor did she want to know.   
  
        "Why are you stealing parts from my ship?" Midori suddenly spoke up. Maul groaned. He had hoped those few moments of silence were going to last longer. The Sith had only known her for a few minutes and already she had talked more than he was used to hearing in a week.   
  
        "_Your_ ship? It doesn't look like _your_ ship will be using it," he replied. The Twi'lek was aware of lighter ground up ahead. She soon found it to be another clearing where Maul's ship had landed.   
  
        "What are you going to do about the bodies?" asked Midori. Even though she wasn't well acquainted with the pilot or the guards, it would be respectful to give them some kind of ceremony.  
  
        "Nothing," he said flatly. "They'll be gone by tomorrow." Maul turned his head a little to stare back at the Twi'lek from the corners of his eyes. "Stay away from there if you don't want to be taken by some beast."   
  
        The Sith set the engine on the ground near the boarding ramp.   
  
        "How much stuff have you taken from my ship anyway?" Midori asked.  
  
        "Why do you care?  
  
        "Because when we get back to Coruscant, I want you to pay back everything you have stolen!"   
  
        "'We'? There is no 'we'. Once I fix my ship, _I_ am leaving. _You_ will stay here," corrected Maul, picking up the device again.   
  
        "Then how will I get home?" Midori whined as she watched him ascend the ramp.   
  
        "Orin was important. People will be looking for him and sooner or later they'll find _your_ ship," he said, his voice echoing out from inside the ship. The Twi'lek followed but stopped halfway up the ramp, afraid to enter.   
  
        "But what if they _don't_ find me?" she called. Midori waited a few moments, then heard a distant, "Not my problem."  
  
        The Twi'lek waited outside for what seemed like countless hours. She was definitely not trekking back through the forest to return to the _Orin 1_, and she wasn't entering Maul's ship, either. The green skinned girl was slowly growing paranoid. What if something smelled Zell's blood on her and came after her? What if the Sith fixed the ship before a search ship found her? Would he leave her to defend herself from a whole planet of Twi'lek-eating creatures? And most importantly- where would she get new clothes?   
  
        Her thoughts came crashing back to reality when she heard strange noises coming from the edge of the clearing. It sounded like deep, heavy breaths from some kind of large, horrible creature. Midori slowly edged her way up the boarding ramp.   
  
        "M... M... Maul..." she squeaked, eyeing the forest uneasily. The Twi'lek feared that the creature's attention would be direct toward her-if it wasn't already- if she called any louder. When she reached the top of the ramp, she cried his name again, her lekku twitching nervously. Midori tried to calm her nerves, thinking the animal was probably just passing by. She was all the way across the clearing- it wouldn't notice her... would it?   
  
        However the scent of human blood clinging to her was stronger than she thought. It was like a delicious invitation to whatever could get to her first.   
  
        Suddenly a large beast shot out into the clearing, fangs bared, heading for the Twi'lek. Midori screamed and ran further into the ship. The creature was remarkably fast and followed her onto the _Sith Infiltrator_. Just as the green skinned girl looked back, she tripped and fell to the floor, skidding a few feet across the cold surface. She rolled onto her back to see the large beast practically on top of her, snarling hungrily. It leaped for her when it was suddenly struck by a red blade. Midori wasn't sure of what happened until the halves of the creature fell on either side of her. The Twi'lek looked back to see Maul standing behind her, retracting the lightsaber blade.  
  
        "You saved me," she breathed, barely believing herself. The Sith cast her a demeaning glare, hanging the weapon hilt on his belt.  
  
        "I got dinner," he corrected tonelessly, then turned and headed back further into the ship. Midori cringed as she noticed the blood splattered on her. The creature had been cut in half right over her. Luckily blood was the only thing that fell on her. With a whine she quickly scraped the red liquid off her skin, shuddering at the disgustingness of it all. The green skinned Twi'lek jumped to her feet and ran after Maul, leaving a trail of blood drops behind her.   
  
        By the time she found him, the blood was almost dry against her and the path she left was barely noticeable. The Sith was installing the device he stole into the rest of the machinery.   
  
        "So what is that thing?" Midori asked softly.  
  
        "Why does it matter?" he retorted, standing back and wiping a sleeve across his face.  
  
        "I want to know," said the Twi'lek. Her master, or anyone else for that matter, never told her about the technological workings of their vehicles. They all thought she wouldn't get it. That was probably true, but she wanted to know anyway.  
  
        "What would you do with the information?" Maul squatted next to the machinery, checking wires and poking buttons. He seemed satisfied with the job he had done.  
  
        "Why must you be so _difficult_?" growled the green skinned girl, stomping a foot and splattering a few drops of blood. The Sith uttered something close to a chuckle.  
  
        "It's a sublight ion drive. Mine was damaged and instead of fixing it, I found your master had one and switched it." He paused to look at her bloodstained figure. "You reek." Midori self-consciously fingered a lek hanging over a shoulder.  
  
        "Could I use something in your ship to clean up?"  
  
        "No."  
  
        "But I can't go back to my ship!"  
  
        "Why not?"  
  
        "There are _trees_ in the way and horrible things hiding between them. They would attack me and drag me off somewhere and eat me!" squealed the Twi'lek. Maul almost smiled at the thought. A long silence followed as he rechecked the installation and Midori watched him. He didn't mind for he had already forgotten she was there. Finally she sighed and brushed the lek behind her shoulder.  
  
        "Are you going back to my ship to take something else?"  
  
        "Yes."  
  
        "When?"  
  
        "Later."  
  
        "I'll go back to my ship then with you," stated the Twi'lek in a determined tone. When he didn't reply, Midori left the room to find something to amuse herself with until the Sith would be ready to leave.  
  
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End of chapter 2. Don't worry, it'll get better 


	3. Temper

Disclaimer: My writing this does not change the fact that I don't own anything besides Midori.  
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**Chapter 3**  
  
        Darth Maul had not planned to spare anybody- especially a wimpy Twi'lek. But out of the whole group, she was the least threatening to him. He couldn't have spared Zell Orin for he was the one Maul was sent to kill. The guards were trained in military tactics it appeared. They wouldn't be able to hurt him, but they would be trouble. The pilot-- well, Maul just didn't like the pilot. But Midori was impressionable. He could control Midori. The Sith could see the fear in her eyes when she attempted to defend her master. She wasn't a fighter and she knew nothing of the operation of ships. She was just a rich servant. However he never expected a servant to be so annoying.  
  
        In the end, though, it would all be worth it. Maul had everything worked out: When Midori was rescued, she would spread the story of a mysterious attacker wielding a lightsaber. Everyone would assume a rogue Jedi assassinated Orin. But the real Jedi would start to suspect. _Sith_. By the time the story would reach them, it would only be a rumor whispered. No doubt it would be altered in places as it was retold by people and then it would lose a lot of substantial facts. Facts the Jedi would need to determine if it was indeed a Sith. Without those, the rumor would just be an unproveable rumor. But as Darth Maul knew quite well, rumors often cause more panic than actual stories. And the Sith loved to see fearful aliens.  
  
        A devilish grin crept across his face as he imagined how the inhabitants back on Coruscant would act. They would immediately begin to doubt the Jedi. They would check over their shoulders every few minutes to make sure no mysterious lightsaber wielder was following them. And those few who remembered the tale of the Sith would be even more afraid.   
  
        His master, Darth Sidious, did not want their presence to be announced just yet. But a little rumor wouldn't hurt. It would just create a nagging fear in the back of people's minds. A fear and distrust of the Jedi.  
  
        Of course, for all this to happen, he would have to keep Midori alive. The Twi'lek was probably afraid of her own shadow and on this planet, keeping her alive would prove to be more challenging than Maul anticipated.   
  
        He paused and listened. It was completely quiet. That would've been a welcome change after having to listen to the girl ramble on, but figuring Midori, being silent for so long was not a good thing. The Sith sensed she was near and he found her sitting on top the boarding ramp, wrapped in his cloak.  
  
        "What are you doing with that?" he growled. The Twi'lek started at the sudden outburst, then jumped to her feet. She still held the garment tightly around her.   
  
        "With what?" asked Midori, feeling dwarfed by his glare. Quickly he grabbed it and ripped it out of her grasp.   
  
        "Why are you wearing _my_ cloak? Now it's bloodied," Maul hissed. The green skinned girl cringed at his sharp tone.  
  
        "I... I just wanted to try to hid the smell," she whimpered, staring intently at the floor.   
  
        _Now I'll have to burn it,_ he thought with a snort. Without another word, the Sith marched down the boarding ramp and headed for the woods. By the time Midori realized where he was going, he was at the forest line.   
  
        "Wait for me!" she called frantically, dashing after him.  
  
        The woods seemed more menacing now that the afternoon was slowly slipping into evening. The shadows played tricks on her, making her believe creatures were creeping along the forest floor, winding around trees and plants, carefully watching the two walk by. As they continued deeper into the woods, Midori became more unsure if the shadows were just shadows or actual stalking beasts. She could've sworn she heard a low, threatening growl and saw blinking eyes stare back from behind a tree.   
  
        The Twi'lek was as close to Darth Maul as she dared to be. If she was actually more afraid of the forest shadows than the Sith, she would've been clinging to his arm. The Sith sensed her apprehensiveness.  
  
        "There are no creatures that are threats to us in the immediate area," he commented. She was somewhat comforted but her paranoia would not go away. She curled her lekku protectively around herself as she eyed the shadows warily.   
  
        Midori would've been relieved to reach the clearing except she saw a few bodies were missing. Creatures had dragged off a few guards and the pilot. The Twi'lek realized she was probably safer back in the forest instead of out in the open for any beast to see.   
  
        Once they entered the _Orin 1_, Maul headed for the engine room.  
  
        "If you collect everything you need before I return, will you wait for me?" questioned the green-skinned girl.  
  
        "No," he replied, walking forward at a steady pace.  
  
        "You'll just leave me here by myself?"  
  
        "It _is_ your ship," replied the Sith, his voice echoing off the corridor walls.  
  
        "But... I'll be alone!" she squeaked. Maul didn't reply. With a huff, the Twi'lek chased after him.   
  
        "I can't stay here- I'll be a sitting rycrit!" exclaimed Midori, her lekku wriggling with frustration.   
  
        "Just close up the ship. Then nothing can get in," replied the Sith.   
  
        "But I... I don't know how to operate the boarding ramp," she said meekly. Maul turned to look at her, his expression showing he thought she was truly an air head.  
  
        "You've got to be joking." The girl slowly shook her head, her shoulders shrugging up in embarrassment. A long pause followed, Midori too embarrassed to speak and Maul wondering if it was really worth it to keep her alive. He could have others start different rumors, but none would be as famous as the one about the assassination of Zell Orin. The Sith sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He should've spared the pilot instead.   
  
        "So... can I stay with you?" Midori softly asked. Maul rolled his yellow eyes.  
  
        "If you can get back to my ship by yourself," he stated flatly. Of course he knew she would be far too scared to make her way through the forest. And if she did summon enough courage to trek into the woods, she would most likely get lost.  
  
        "Really?" she asked with a smile. The Sith motioned for her to be silent, cautiously looking around and listening intently for any strange sound.  
  
        "Something's in here," he said at last. Midori searched wildly about.  
  
        "Where?" Maul didn't reply but stole down the corridor, lightsaber hilt in hand.  
  
        "You're not going to kill it in _here_, are you?" the Twi'lek called after him in a whisper. When again he didn't answer, she followed him. She'd make sure her possessions would be safe from becoming blood-splattered.   
  
        As they turned down another corridor, they started to hear muffled snarling sounds, like multiple beasts behind one of the closed doors farther down the hall. Soon Maul stopped in front of a decorated door and Midori whined.  
  
        "That's my room," she sighed, stomping a foot. The Sith ignored her and pressed the button to open the door. Nothing happened.  
  
        "They locked me out of my room?!" gasped Midori, her voice choking.  
  
        "Quiet," Maul hissed, glaring at her. At first he didn't think it possible, but Midori was steadily growing even more annoying as the day dragged on. He should've spared the pilot. The Sith raised his hand up and obediently the door followed almost silently. The two peered in to see three beasts. They resembled the one that had chased the Twi'lek earlier. One creature was lying on the bed and two were fighting over a mutilated body which Midori thought was one of the guards. Suddenly the furry creature on the bed noticed the two staring in and began growling. It jumped into an attacking stance as the others noticed the intruders as well. Maul stepped into the room, igniting his lightsaber. At that Midori gave a shriek, ran in and pulled him back by his shirt.   
  
        "What are you doing, woman?!" he snapped, fixing his shirt.  
  
        "Don't kill them in my room! Are you _insane_?!"  
  
        "Either they die in here or you die in here," replied Maul. Then the beast jumped off the bed and sprinted for the two, snarling ferociously. Midori screamed and covered her head.  
  
        "Okay, but in the hallway, not in my room!" The Sith disregarded the statement and killed the beast in the doorway. The other two lunged for him but they suffered the same fate as well. The Twi'lek peeked out through her fingers.  
  
        "Did you get them?"  
  
        "Yes." When she removed her hands, she gave another whine.  
  
        "That's the _doorway_! They're all in the _doorway_! Not the hall- but my room! How can I get in there now?" Midori eyed the pile of creatures with repulsion.   
  
        "Just push them out of the way," Maul replied simply, hanging the lightsaber on his belt and walking off.   
  
        By the time Midori was cleaned up and had more appropriate clothes to be hiking around the forest in, the Sith was nowhere to be found. Outside the orange sky was quickly fading into night. If those strange beasts she kept running into were what prowled the planet during the day, then she most certainly did not want to wait around and see what stalked the area during the night. And with all those carcasses in her room, beasts would be swarming around the ship in no time.  
  
        Midori figured the Sith wouldn't share any of his food, so she filled an expensive bag with all the edible things she came across. Also, she would have to save as much from her wardrobe as was possible because she probably wouldn't be able to come back. She hated to part with any of her clothes, but there was only so much she could carry. As she thought about it, she realized she might need to defend herself, so she found the weapons locker and took a blaster. Food, clothes, and a gun were all heaped in her arms. What more could she need? They were all piled almost higher than her head, completely blocking everything in front of her from view. The Twi'lek had nowhere near the extraordinary senses Maul had and ended up stepping on a few bodies.   
  
        Midori stopped at the forest line. The sky was dark now, the wind was chillier, and even more unfamiliar sounds came from the forest. Faintly she saw a light somewhere beyond the trees. Maul must've started a fire. The Twi'lek discovered that if she turned sideways, she could see in front of her. It was an awkward way to walk, but it was better than crashing into every tree.  
  
        About halfway there, Midori got the unmistakable feeling that she was being watched. After seeing the kinds of inhabitants earlier, the Twi'lek imagined something much worse. That was enough to send her running straight ahead, screaming at the top of her lungs.  
  
        Darth Maul was sitting by the fire when he heard an irritating shrieking. At first he thought it was a dying animal, but after listening to it he realized it was Midori. The Sith vented a groan and slid a hand down his face.  
  
        _She may be stupid, but she's got guts... somewhat,_ he thought. Then he saw her break into the clearing, looking like she was carrying all her possessions. Suddenly she tripped over a log, dropping everything and falling to the damp ground. He stopped a rolling food can with his foot.   
  
        "Why didn't you just bring the whole ship over?" Maul commented dryly. "Looks like you brought everything else."  
  
        "If I knew how to fly it, I would've," replied the Twi'lek, gathering everything back into a pile. "So which room is mine?" The Sith arched a brow and tossed her the food cartridge.  
  
        "Where?"  
  
        "In your ship," she said, kneeling next to the fire and rubbing her arms.  
  
        "Your room is back there," replied Maul as he guestered to the clearing she had come from.   
  
        "I can't go back there!"  
  
        "Why? Trees?" he asked, a cruel tone to his voice. He picked up a piece of wood and tossed it into the fire, watching the flames blaze higher with the extra fuel. The light danced across his face, making him look even more terrible than before.  
  
        "No. It's been taken over by those nasty things. I will never enter my room again!" she exclaimed, shuddering at the thought of the three dead creatures in her doorway.   
  
        "Then it seems you have no room."  
  
        "So then where am I supposed to sleep?" whined Midori. Maul waved his hand over the clearing.  
  
        "Take your pick."  
  
        "Out _here_? But this is _outside_! I've _never_ slept outside before!" she cried. The Sith just shook his head. He decided to ignore her and focus on the meat that was roasting over the fire, occasionally being licked by the flames.  
  
        "What are you cooking?" Midori asked after a long silence.  
  
        "What I killed in my ship."  
  
        "Ew," hissed the Twi'lek, cringing at the memory.  
  
        "Why does it matter? You won't be eating it," he stated, taking it from over the fire. Maul let it cool off a few seconds before taking a bite. She could hear the crunch of the skin from all the way where she was kneeling. Her face was a mask of disgust as she watched him eat. The Twi'lek couldn't believe something so repulsive could be edible.  
  
        "How does it taste?" The Sith shrugged a bit.   
  
        "Doesn't taste like anything," he said and took another bite. During his training, Darth Sidious rarely gave his apprentice flavorful food. As long as it was nutritious and gave him energy, that's all that mattered. No need to nitpick about taste.  
  
        To Midori, that was an invitation to help. She searched through her small pile of belongings, looking for the spices and seasonings. The food brought along on the _Orin 1_ was substantial, but not very flavorful. So the Twi'lek was always mixing in different seasonings and concocting new tastes.  
  
        When she found what she was looking for, she walked to the opposite side of the fire, grabbed the meat from Maul's hand and began pouring different seasonings onto it.  
  
        "What are you doing? Mess with your own dinner," the Sith said. He reached for his food but Midori slapped his hand away.   
  
        "Just wait," she replied, almost to herself. She was staring intently at the job she was doing. A moment later the Twi'lek handed the food back to him. Maul eyed it suspiciously before slowly taking a bite. Not being used to flavorful food, this tasted amazing. Of course he'd never let Midori know that.  
  
        "It's good," he commented with a shrug. Maybe she wasn't completely useless after all. The green skinned girl crawled closer to him on her knees.   
  
        "If I make your meals, will you give me a room?"  
  
        "No." With an aggravated growl, she dropped onto her backside.  
  
        "Can't you be nice for once?"  
  
        "No."  
  
        "But you were nice when you let me live," the girl began with big eyes. "And I don't know why you're being so mean now." Her lower lip extended as she produced the best pout she knew. Whenever she wanted something and Zell wouldn't buy it for her, she could immediately change his mind with her pout. Practically no one was safe from it.  
  
        But her charms were lost on Darth Maul. He didn't care for beautiful things. He wasn't supposed to care at all. He just kept eating his dinner.  
  
        "I think I know why you spared me," she suddenly spoke up. The Sith rolled his eyes, wondering what brilliant conclusion she had come to.  
  
        "You like me, don't you?"   
  
        Maul practically choked on the food. He stood up, threw the meat into the fire and looked at Midori with hateful disgust. He grabbed her lekku and forcefully dragged her to her feet, all the while she was screaming in pain.   
  
        "My plans are _far_ more complex and you are but one pawn in them. Don't think for a _second_ that you know what I am up to for, believe me, this is beyond your _pitiful_ grasp on intelligence. Your being spared is only because Zell Orin was your master and I only need one survivor to tell the tale. And I have no need for affection. All a Sith needs to know is hatred and if you weren't needed you would be _dead_!" he shouted. "_Now_ what do you have to say?" Midori was too terrified to say anything. His tight grasp on her lekku was immensely painful, and it also hurt where her lekku connected to her head as he was pulling so hard. After his words she was whimpering and crying uncontrollably, as she was always an emotional Twi'lek. She was trembling all over for fear he would hurt her further.  
  
        When it was obvious she wouldn't reply, Maul pushed her to the ground and stormed over to his ship. He had tolerated her for hours, but he had just snapped when she said that. The sooner the search ship came, the better, else he might just forget the plan and strangle her to death. He should've spared the pilot.  
  
        The Sith stomped up the ramp and didn't bother with the controls that operated it. With a forceful jerk of his arm, the boarding ramp slammed shut.   
  
        Midori had tried not to make a sound before, but now that he was gone she started bawling. No one had ever spoken like that to her with such a cruel tone before. She tried to steady her hand enough to spread her clothes out in a makeshift bed, but it was hard for she was sobbing uncontrollably. It was difficult for her to even breathe. She gave up on spreading out her garments and just crawled under the pile, hoping to hide from the Sith's view if he should return.   
  
        Again Midori had the feeling that she was being watched, but she disregarded that as she continued to weep.  
  
        Just behind the first trees and bushes next to the clearing hid furry little creatures, armed with weapons and watching the campsite with curiosity. They were unsure of sneaking closer when the man was there, but now that only one was left in the clearing, they were ready to make their move. Their territory had been invaded and they were going to reclaim it by getting rid of the aliens, one way or another.   
  
-------------   
End of chapter three. Longer than usual. Poor Midori... oh well, she had it coming. LoL Hope you liked. =) 


	4. Captured

Disclaimer: Midori=mine, everything else=not mine  
a/n: Sorry it took me so long to update. It was more because of laziness than business... ; But more chapters may come out slower now because of school. Not because I'm just lazy... yeah.  
  
**Chapter 4**  
  
The communications were still dead. They were damaged from the fight and the awkward landing. Maul couldn't contact his master yet. But he would fix that. He would take a few more things from Zell's ship to fix his own. After repairing the hull in two places, he would be ready to leave. Leave this pitiful excuse for a moon, leave the annoying, tasteless creatures, and leave that clingy Twi'lek.  
  
He had sensed how terrified she was last night. Good. That's how she should've been from the start. He was a Sith after all. He deserved respect. He deserved fear.  
  
Remembering Midori, he realized he hadn't heard a squeak from her all morning. He had expected she'd hunt him down to complain about the miserable time she'd had camping out that night and to whine about breakfast and other things that came to her mind. Perhaps she was still cowering somewhere, afraid to talk to him anymore.  
  
Yeah, right.  
  
Reluctantly Maul returned to the clearing. The fire ring was barely smoldering and Midori's clothes were tossed about. The Twi'lek was no where to be seen. The Sith groaned and slid a gloved hand down his face. Now where had she wandered off to?  
  
He inspected the small campsite and concluded that she had not run off. For one, she wouldn't have left her clothes scattered about on the muddy ground. Also there were strange prints leading from Midori's place to the forest. The Twi'lek had been captured. Maul groaned again. All this trouble to start a rumor. He had half the mind to let her remain captured. But the rumor was far too important. He'd have to rescue that idiot Twi'lek... again. The tracks were easy enough for him to follow and he passed more silently through the woods than even the native creatures.  
  
Midori had cried herself into a deep sleep and when she woke up she was startled to find herself hanging from a wooden pole, her wrists and ankles tied to it. Small, fuzzy creatures were carrying her through the forest. She had tried in vain to break the bonds several times. Soon the Twi'lek just gave up and hung limply as the small group entered a village. Other creatures resembling her captors came from the houses to get a better look at Midori. A little furry child waddled up and began poking her with a stick.  
  
"Get away from me! All of you!" she shrieked at last. "You're ugly and you smell funny." The little creature jumped back at her outburst, then gave her a quick, hard poke and ran off. The Twi'lek remembered something her master had said about the inhabitants of Endor once. She hadn't been paying much attention because at the time her nails were more fascinating. But she heard of a creature called an Ewok. Now she wished she had paid more attention.  
  
As she was carried through their village, Midori decided that her captors didn't look too harmful. In fact, they looked a little cute.  
  
That opinion drastically changed when they finally set her down. The ends of the pole she was tied to were propped up by other sticks and she was hanging above a pile of wood. A crowd of Ewoks gathered and watched as one of their group brought a burning torch. Drums sounded from somewhere near. Dinner music, Midori figured.  
  
The girl's throat tightened. It felt as if an invisible force had clutched her lungs, not allowing her to breathe. She wrapped her lekku securely around herself. She didn't want to die. The green-skinned girl especially didn't want to be eaten by squat, bad smelling creatures. Even though the night before she wished she'd never see that Sith again, she desperately hoped he'd suddenly appear to save her.  
  
Midori looked at the surrounding Ewoks.  
  
"Really, I don't taste that good! I may look beautiful, but some people have said I'm spoiled! I didn't believe it then, but I do now! You don't want to eat me, do you?" she whined. The young Ewok returned and poked her with the stick again, squeaking and growling occasionally. It obviously did not like her. The Ewok with the torch finally arrived next to her. It lifted the flame higher for all the others to see, then lowered it toward the pile of wood. With a flick of a lek, Midori knocked the torch from it's hand. The fire landed on the damp ground and slowly dimmed. The Ewok vented a gruff bark as it looked from the extinguished torch tot he Twi'lek. Midori's lek returned to around her body, meekly eyeing the creatures around her. That was the bravest thing she had ever done in her pampered, surreal life.  
  
Two Ewoks ran up with chord to tie her lekku to the pole. Her captors had never seen a Twi'lek before, and they didn't realize she could control her head-tails. They wouldn't be caught off-guard like that again. Midori held them off for a few seconds by slapping at them, but the two overpowered her and tied her lekku securely to the branch.  
  
Another torch was brought and stabbed into the pile of wood. The fire spread slowly, but she immediately felt the heat.  
  
"No!" Midori cried, "My designer clothes will be _ruined_!" The Twi'lek tried to pull closer to the pole, but, not being very strong, soon slumped back toward the flames. Her back felt like it was burning, although the fire was nowhere near it yet.  
  
Suddenly there was a cry from the edge of the surrounding forest and an Ewok flew into the small group of creatures. Horns sounded from somewhere else and cries of panic arose from the inhabitants. Some dashed for hiding while others picked up small weapons. Shrieks were heard from behind the trees. Suddenly a tall figure burst through the forest line, waving a double edged lightsaber. Midori would've breathed a sigh of relief, but she didn't feel any safer while still over the fire.  
  
"Maul! Get me off of here! My clothes are almost ruined!" she shrieked, wriggling fiercely. The Sith ignored her, attacking all the Ewoks that ran over to him, weapons raised. Just when she thought he'd never rescue her, the pole she was hanging from began to float, higher and higher. He didn't seem to be paying her any attention, yet he kept her perfectly suspended in the air.  
  
"Get me down! Get me down!" cried the Twi'lek, staring wide-eyed at the ground that now seemed far away. Suddenly the ties that bound her to the pole unraveled and she fell to the damp ground. The Ewoks didn't seem to care their hostage was loose, for they were more concerned with either fighting this fierce new enemy or fleeing from him. Suddenly a light shower began falling. Midori scuttled under a tree, as if afraid the rain would hurt her. Just as she ran under the protective branches, it began pouring. The Twi'lek watched Maul continue fighting the Ewoks, either unaware or uncaring of the rain crashing all around him. He seemed to be unhindered by the heavy drops and the excess weight his wet clothes added.  
  
In another minute the area was clear of any creature. The rain was coming down harder than ever. The drops cracked and fizzled on the Sith's lightsaber blade. It retracted with a hum. He stared at the shaking figure under the tree. She was such a pitiful excuse for an alien. But that pitiful alien would spread the rumor perfectly. Maul vented a low growl. If only she wasn't so annoying. "Come on," he ordered. Remember how he had snapped last night, Midori was quick to obey, even if she did have to run out in the rain. She almost had to run to keep up with his brisk pace.  
  
"Th-thank you for saving m-me," stuttered the Twi'lek, unsure herself if it was out of coldness or fear.  
  
"Don't get captured again." Midori slowed a little, taken aback at his statement.  
  
"Well, it wasn't _my_ fault! _I_ didn't know I was going to be kidnapped! And if I had known I would've... I would've... well, I would've done _something_," she said with a determined nod. The Sith didn't reply. He just kept walking at his fast pace, ducking under one branch, stepping over another root. He seemed to know exactly where he was going, even though every direction looked exactly the same. The Ewok village was now lost beyond the trees. Midori felt a little better, even though she figured she was probably in more danger in the presence of the Sith.  
  
"Do you know where you're going?" asked Midori after awhile of following the man.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Do you really?"  
  
"I said yes," Maul replied sharply. It took all the will power he had to refrain from just reaching back and decking the bubble-headed girl. A few more minutes passed before they finally reached the clearing with the fire ring and the ship. The Twi'lek's clothes were still tossed about the area. Midori stopped when she saw the ship. She tilted her head to try to see it straight.  
  
"It looks... tipped," the girl said.  
  
"It's sinking into the swampy ground," replied Maul who kept walking toward the _Sith Infiltrator_. From behind he heard her shriek and he knew she had noticed her muddied clothes. She gave cries of distress as she gingerly picked up each article of clothing.  
  
Suddenly Maul stopped and turned back to the Twi'lek, who was still mourning over her wardrobe.  
  
"Quiet!" he shouted. The girl obeyed. The tone of his voice had made her stop crying rather than the order. To her he sounded more desperate than angry. The two heard distant, deep humming sounds.  
  
"A ship! A ship's somewhere around here!" the green skinned girl exclaimed, jumping up and running over to the Sith. "A ship's come to _save_ me! _Finally_!" She started bouncing around Maul, clapping and giggling. His hand shot out, grabbed her lekku and pulled her back.  
  
"_Quiet_," he ordered again, harsher this time. After a quick look around, he dragged her into the shadow of his ship.  
  
"I didn't expect them to be here this soon. If they scan for your master's ship, they'll detect mine as well. I still need to make repairs. I won't get out in time. The cloaking generator was damaged in the landing," hissed Maul, mostly to himself. The Twi'lek watched his angry expression and winced when he tugged on her lekku as he emphasized some words.  
  
"Does this mean you'll kill that whole crew?" Midori asked as they continued to listen to the far-off noises. The Sith glanced toward her, a sheepish look plastered on her face. She may be air-headed at times, but she was beginning to catch on. 


	5. The Intruder

**Disclaimer:** Midori- mine, everything else- not mine  
A/N: Very sorry it took me so long to update. Never thought I'd get so much homework in school.  
-----  
  
**Chapter 5**  
  
The hum of ship engines continually grew louder. Midori leaned out from the _Infiltrator_'s shadow to try and catch a glimpse of the search ship. The green Twi'lek was startled when Maul lowered the boarding ramp and stole onto it.  
  
"Wait!" cried the girl, running after him. When she caught up to him, she grabbed the back of his baggy shirt and repeatedly tugged it.  
  
"You can't! They're here to _save_ me! If you kill them, I'll be _stuck_ in this horrible, store-less place! I'll never be in Coruscant news again! I'll never be able to buy designer fashions again! I'll never set foot in a mall ever again! No more shopping sprees!" A distressed cry followed her complaints. Maul pulled his shirt from her grasp.  
  
"Don't kill them!" she pleaded with big eyes.  
  
"I'll do what I must," retorted the Sith, continuing his path down the hall.  
  
"But what if you _don't_ have to kill them? What if I can just board their ship and be taken back home?"  
  
"If they've seen too much, they won't live long enough to contact Coruscant," he stated bluntly. He marched into the cockpit, Midori trailing at his heels rattling off different scenarios and "what ifs". On the console laid a wrist control pad studded with buttons. The Sith grabbed that and slapped it on over his dark glove, then started punching buttons on a nearby control panel. A small screen flashed on and a map of the area appeared, choked with numbers and pulsating circles.  
  
"They've landed not too far from your ship. Being this close they had to have detected me." Instantly he turned and marched out, Midori following like a vulture.  
  
"Does this mean you'll kill them?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But you don't have to kill them!" When Maul didn't stop, the green Twi'lek grabbed his sleeve and tried to pull him back. That didn't work and she ended up being dragged after him as he continued at the same pace. The girl was convinced she could stop him and still clung to the material.  
  
"You don't need to kill anyone! Just sneak on board and steal all the records of them finding your ship. Then they won't have any evidence and I could still go home!" she exclaimed with extra enthusiasm. The Sith continued on his path to the boarding ramp, dragging Midori by his sleeve. He was surprised that she could come up with a plan like that, because it actually sounded logical. Darth Maul had been set on killing someone, and he still wanted to kill someone, however the Twi'lek's suggestion was more challenging. He slowed his pace, considering. When he finally realized she was still clinging to him, he wrenched his sleeve from her grasp again.  
  
"_Stop_ touching me!" he ordered, glaring at her hatefully. Midori didn't even noticed the look he gave her. She trailed after him as he reached the cargo hold.  
  
"So what do you think about my idea?" the girl asked as the Sith somehow found the speeder bike out of the rest of the machines in the room.  
  
"It's an idea," the reply was grunted.  
  
"Okay, what if-" Suddenly Maul spun around, his eyes blazing.  
  
"No! _No_ more 'what ifs'! What _could_ happen doesn't matter! Only what _will_ happen! And you will _never_ have any influence on my plans." The last part of his sentence came as a threatening hiss.  
  
"But it's always good to be prepared," the Twi'lek protested meekly, shrugging up her shoulders as if she could hide. Maul held out his hand and from somewhere in the room a long black cloak came flying into his grip. He threw it around himself and mounted the speeder.  
  
"Wait, you're going now?" questioned Midori. She still had many reasons to argue why the crew should be spared. The Sith just started the bike, knowing her stupid question didn't even deserve a verbal response.  
  
"But wait!" she shouted over the noise of the vehicle, "What if they-" Maul's gaze alone would have made her stop talking, but her voice ceased because she suddenly felt something around her neck. An invisible force had grasped her neck and was slowly and steadily tightening. The whole time the Sith was glaring at her with intense concentration. When Midori began to make choking noises, he decided she had suffered enough and released his hold on her. She dropped to the metal floor, coughing and holding her neck while Maul punched in a sequence of numbers on his wrist pad. A hum came from across the room as two spherical, black droids floated over to the Sith. After another code of numbers to the control pad, the droids turned and closed in on Midori. The green skinned girl started a little at the sight of them and involuntarily scooted backwards.  
  
"What are those?!" she cried, lekku wriggling.  
  
"They are what will make sure you don't leave the ship," replied Maul slowly, taking pleasure in her fear. Then he speeder bolted from the cargo hold with a loud whine, leaving the Twi'lek to stare, petrified, at the two hovering droids.  
  
Darth Maul zipped around trees at an incredible speed, his Sith reflexes the only thing keeping him from a fiery collision. The wind roared past him, whipping around his cloak and stinging his face, but he didn't feel the pain. He was taught to ignore pain, and he succeeded quite well at that. Through the years of training his tolerance exceeded greatly, and now something that hurt the average man didn't bother Maul.  
  
A twist of his hand and the bike gave a higher hum as it accelerated. He had to reach that search ship as quickly as possible to make sure they didn't alert any other nearby vessels of the _Infiltrator_. The Sith knew if the crew searched the _Orin 1_, they'd find no trace of him. The bodies of the guards, and especially Zell and the pilot with the telltale saber wounds, were dragged off by now and devoured by some larger animal. Even the three creatures he had killed inside the ship would be gone and another beast would be lurking in the shadows of some room. Whoever explored the _Orin 1_ would be in for quite a surprise.  
  
He slowed the speeder once he could faintly see the ship beyond the thick trees. Before reaching the edge of the forest he turned the motor off completely. The last thing the Sith wanted to do was announce his presence. At least not at first. With lightsaber in hand, he stealthily made his way toward the ship's entrance.  
-----  
  
Midori eyed the two hovering droids uneasily. Except for the low humming sounds coming from them, they were ominously silent. Her lekku twitched nervously. The Twi'lek looked around the sizable cargo hold. There were many other mechanical things, all of which the girl couldn't even begin to imagine what they were for. Of course, her imagination was something she didn't use much. As she sat there, her back against a tall, flat, metal object, an idea came to her. Darth Maul had said the droids wouldn't let her leave the ship, but they wouldn't prevent her from exploring the rest of it, would they? The two had been so still for so long Midori wondered if they were even awake. Slowly the green Twi'lek rose to her feet and the droids rose with her, hovering at shoulder level the whole time. Yes, they were definitely awake. Quickly they both flew to the side of her to block her way to the ramp. Midori was fine with that for it gave her more room to slink away form them. With every step she took, they advanced, always staying a certain proximity away from her. Once out of the cargo hold, the droids drifted further away, giving her more space. Soon she forgot about them entirely as she began to tour the ship.  
-----  
  
Darth Maul slipped behind a stack of crates as a group of crewmen hurried past and toward the boarding ramp. The Sith blended in with the shadows so well it was almost as if he were invisible. Once he was sure they were gone, he stole down the corridor. Maul sensed only a few more life forms on the ship, an easy task to avoid them all.  
  
He stopped before an open door when he heard voices coming from inside. The Sith stood against the wall, leaning as close as possible to the doorway.  
  
"Another ship?" a voice questioned.  
  
"Yes, sir. It's near Zell's ship. A group was sent to inspect the _Orin 1_, and when that's completed, they'll go search the new ship. It may have been the reason Zell crashed landed," a woman's voice replied.  
  
Well, so much for Midori's plan.  
  
Maul slipped past the doorway, not even making a sound, and continued on his way down the corridor. A minute later, after peering into every room he came across, he finally found the communications room. Quickly the Sith checked the transmission logs to see if the crew had alerted other nearby search ships of the Infiltrator. The screen came back showing the last communication had been sent to Coruscant before they had landed. His gloved fingers flew over the console, bringing up the message.  
  
"We believe we've picked up the _Orin 1_'s signature on Endor. We're going to investigate. You will be updated once we find out for certain. _C.S.S. Gamma_ out."  
  
Good. No one else knew yet. Suddenly he heard footsteps behind him followed by a gasp. He hadn't even heard the crewman approaching over the sound of the recorded transmission. He cursed himself for letting his guard down.  
  
"Who _are_ you?!" a woman's voice shouted. She was probably the same one he overheard only a little bit ago. Maul still stood hunched over the control panel with his back to the door. The next thing he heard was the sound of choking. Only when she dropped to the floor did he turn around. The Sith knew he couldn't let this ship or its crew leave. They all knew far too much. Too bad they weren't all as stupid as Midori.  
  
Darth Maul walked back down the corridor, heading for the boarding ramp, taking extra care to make sure he knew where the rest of the crew was. He walked unhindered right off the ship and to his speeder bike. Behind the seat was a pack full of various devices, of which he took a few detonators. The Sith returned with those to the ship. He suddenly stopped before reaching the main corridor. Further down the hall was a commotion of voices. The rest of the crew had found the body. From the jumbled of voices, one rose above the rest: "Go get help!" Footsteps echoed off the walls, drawing nearer to Maul.  
  
Of course the Sith couldn't have that. He was going to blow up the ship now and hunt down the remaining crew members later. The man running down the corridor suddenly slowed down and dropped to his knees, frantically grasping at his neck. Maul almost smirked. This was too easy. He resumed his march down the hall, stepping over the man's body. The four remaining crewmen instantly became aware of him. They all drew their blasters and aimed at the approaching cloaked figure. He held out his hand as they fired. Whether he absorbed the lasers right into his palm or deflected them completely, they couldn't tell. They just knew he wasn't stopped, so they fired again. Maul waved his extended hand to the side and all the men went flying down the hall. The Sith walked into the communications room and set a detonator on the transmission console. Even if parts of the ship would survive the explosion, he made sure the computer logs wouldn't be one of them. It took him a few minutes to place the remaining detonators, because he had to hunt for the most crucial spots.  
  
Darth Maul returned to his speeder bike, took a remote from the pack, and mounted the vehicle. As he flew away from the ship, he pressed a button on the remote and, in reply, multiple explosions came from the ship. Now all he had to do was visit the _Orin 1_ and hunt the rest of the crewmen. After that he could return to his own ship, repair it, and finally leave Endor and that annoying Twi'lek.  
  
If only he knew what was awaiting him back at his ship... 


End file.
